May 20, 2025

Dear colleagues,

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of events accompanied by many emotions. The annual International Gala, concerts, end-of-year celebrations, board meetings, athletic contests, the “KP” student picnic, my retirement celebration, baccalaureate, commencements (the honorary doctorate from the Community of Educators was a special surprise!), COE week and employee recognition — every event was implemented with excellence and meaning! I am grateful to every employee who offered expertise and talent to facilitate a memorable conclusion to the spring semester. Serving as Messiah’s eighth president has been the honor of my life and Kelly and I will always be enthusiastic ambassadors on behalf of this extraordinary university. Although we look forward to a less-busy phase of life in Lancaster, we know that we will miss the Messiah community every day. Be assured of our ongoing support and daily prayers.

Now, in my final President’s Campus Update, I’d like to share with you highlights from the spring board of trustees meeting, updates on enrollment and giving and other related campus news.

Highlights of the May board meeting

On Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2, Messiah’s board of trustees held their annual spring meeting on campus. To begin the meeting, the board participated in an educational session led by Murray Library Director Janet Vogel and Librarian Beth Transue on the topic of how the 21st century library engages the innovations and opportunities related to artificial intelligence. Trustees were also joined by Steve Sproles, landscape architect and principal of Derck & Edson, who, along with Vice President for Operations Kathie Shafer, presented a review of Messiah’s campus master plan and how it intersects with preliminary future facility ideas and opportunities for Messiah’s undergraduate programs in the health and natural sciences. Interim President Jon Stuckey will continue to provide leadership to this exploratory conversation with the board in the upcoming year.

The board also discussed next steps in the continuing search for Messiah’s ninth president. Newly appointed board chair-elect Rodney Musser provided the following update for me to share with all of you:  “The board reviewed and discussed the recent presidential search process. Feedback received from various stakeholders has been very helpful and we believe it will serve to enhance the future process. The search process remains the highest priority for the board and we expect to give further updates after the October board meetings.”

Following Thursday’s committee meetings, the board’s final board session on Friday concluded with reports and action items from the various board committees; key actions are summarized below.

From the Committee on Governance:

  • Recommendation of board chair: The board recommended the appointment of Rodney Musser as board chair for a three-year term to be effective June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028. (Note: David Millary will continue his role as acting chair of the board through the end of May 2025.)
  • Recommendation of term appointments: The board recommended the appointment of the following individuals as a trustee in the class of 2029, effective July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2029:
    • Second Term: Rim Hinckley, Jessica Thomas, Todd Witmer
    • Third term: Linda Eremita
  • Recommendation of officers: The board recommended the appointment of the following slate of officers of the board of trustees for a one-year term to be effective July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
    • Vice Chair: David Millary
    • Secretary: Linda Eremita
    • Treasurer: Anthony Schiano
  • Recommendation to Confer Trustee Emeritus Status on George A. Parmer: The board approved naming George Parmer a trustee emeritus of Messiah University after serving faithfully for more than 20 years. The committee’s recommendation/citation was as follows:

When asked to serve on the board in 1999, George stated that he wanted to be the kind of board member who would leave Messiah better than he found it – he fulfilled that commitment in an exceptional way. While a trustee, George served as the board treasurer, vice-chair and chair-elect. In 2009 he was named a lifetime trustee in recognition of his exemplary service. For many years, he chaired the Committee on Finance before being heartily endorsed to serve as the chair of the board from 2015-2022. As a board chair, George made himself readily available to President Phipps and offered wise counsel and unwavering encouragement.

Together with his wife, Barbara, George has made significant personal and financial contributions to advancing the mission of Messiah University. Of special note is the naming gift for Parmer Hall. As a couple they have been generous in every way, including gifts of time. George served as co-chair of the Campaign for Wellness and as co-chair of the Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center Campaign. George and Barbara are members of the Messiah Legacy Society, the highest level of philanthropic recognition. George Parmer is a most fitting candidate for emeritus trustee of Messiah University because of his devotion to Christ, exemplary character and passionate support of Messiah’s mission.

From the Assurance Committee: The board approved the university’s Form 990 and Form 990-T returns.

From the Committee on Education: The board reviewed and approved faculty promotions for COE members, as presented, based on the recommendation of the Term-Tenure and Promotion Committee, the provost and the president, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

From the Committee on Finance:

  • Endowment Matching Initiative #11: In a joint motion with the Committee on Advancement, the board approved $1.5 million to fund the Endowment Matching Initiative #11 to encourage donor endowment gifts that support the financial aid budget and/or existing operating expenses.
  • FY26 financial plan: The board approved the university’s FY26 financial plan, as approved by campus governance, permitting the Executive Committee of the Board, or the Committee on Finance, to take final action on the financial plan in October 2025 when enrollment information will be more complete, if necessary.
  • Approval of credit line: The board approved that the vice president for finance and planning, with the written consent of the president of the university or the chairman of the board of trustees, be authorized to borrow under one line of credit up to a total of $10 million for working capital purposes during the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. This is an annual financial “safeguard” but we have not traditionally needed to draw on this precautionary credit line.
  • Revision to endowment investment policies: The board approved the revision to its policies and guidelines for endowment investments of increasing the ceiling of the public equity allocation range from 60% to 65% and reducing the floor of the fixed income asset allocation range from 30% to 25% as presented by the Committee.

From the Executive Committee:

  • Governance proposal: The board approved the proposal of the Governance Review Task Force as presented by the president and as approved by campus governance bodies.
  • Corporate resolution for board secretary signature: Due to the transition of Vice President of Advancement Jon Stuckey to interim president, corporate resolutions must be updated to Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance Amanda Coffey to sign as a corporate officer on pertinent documents as noted in the bylaws.

Enrollment snapshot

Undergraduate FY26 enrollment: Following the May 1 decision deadline, we are encouraged to report a five-year high in applications, admits and deposits across all stages of the admissions funnel. The momentum accelerated notably after the release of our premier scholarship awards in early March, prompting a strong response of deposits and was followed quickly by significant activity at both Accepted Student Preview Days. Many recruitment territories have already met or exceeded their deposit targets. While we recognize that some attrition is likely over the summer, current indicators suggest we are well-positioned to exceed our budgeted enrollment goals for the fall!

*FAFSA was VERY late for the 2024 cohort and Decision Day was pushed from May 1 to June 1

Additional undergraduate admissions trends:

• Multicultural recruitment: We are experiencing significant growth in the scholarship program this cycle; of the 196 scholarships offered, 127 have already deposited (64.8% yield). A slightly smaller Martin Scholars cohort has 11 out of 12 students committed. Another 28 students are still actively considering offers. Personalized interviews—both on campus and virtual—continue to strengthen engagement with students and their families. Thank you to everyone who assists with these interviews.

• International students: International student deposits (13 new/transfer students) are ahead of last year’s pace (11). We are actively monitoring the uncertainty related to the federal government’s changing guidelines about F1 Visa status.

• Honors Program: Of the 266 students participating in our winter scholarship events, 151 have deposited so far (57% yield). Enrollment is strong across all scholarship levels, and the program will exceed its goal of enrolling 130 new students. Even students not admitted to the program after interviews are depositing at high rates, reflecting a positive campus visit experience.

• Transfer students: Deposits (48) are slightly behind last year (52), with applications and admits holding steady. Increased outreach to incomplete applicants is improving conversion, and early indicators show a modest rise in the diversity of the incoming transfer class.

Students will receive information later this week to prepare for course registration (June 3, transfer students; June 10, first-year students). Additionally, health forms are due May 21 to the Engle Center and housing contracts are due June 1. Please encourage any incoming students you talk with to check their Messiah email frequently for important details regarding these deadlines.

Graduate FY25 enrollment: Graduate enrollment remains stable and on pace with fiscal year targets, showing consistent year-over-year performance. Early indicators in graduate enrollment are focused on sustaining momentum through the remainder of the recruiting cycle. A graduate snapshot taken April 9 indicates the following:

  • Credit hours: 15,586 registered credit hours, meeting 100% of the FY 2024–25 goal
  • New students: Currently at 93% of goal, tracking closely with the prior year
  • Unduplicated students: Slightly above target and ahead of last year’s total at this time

Giving update

FY25 giving: Maintaining strong momentum throughout the year, we are now at 15-year high in institutional giving when compared to this same point in past fiscal years. Thank you to Vice President of Advancement Jon Stuckey and our Development/Annual Giving Team for helping us finish FY25 in such a strong position!

• Total Giving: $8.4 million (140% of June 30 goal)
• Messiah Fund: $1.2 million (119% of June 30 goal)
• Giving and New Pledges: $ 9.8 million (109% of June 30 goal)

In addition, we are making great progress on our fundraising projects.
• Warmer Welcome Campaign (Phases 1 and 2): $ 5.7 million (78% of goal)
• Endowment Challenge #10: $ 1.5 million (100% of goal)
• 40th Anniversary of Nursing: $ 332,000 (64% of goal)
• Outdoor track project: $ 150,000 (100% of goal)

Endowment Challenge #11: Given that we reached the goal of Endowment Challenge #10, the board graciously and generously approved a new endowment challenge. Therefore, scholarship aid or budget relieving endowment gifts will be matched, thus doubling the impact of our donors’ generosity.

Giving Day success: In addition, our spring annual Giving Day was another record-breaker – raising over $210,000 from 584 donors!

Phipps Family Scholarship: Finally, as a fitting culmination to a positive season of giving, Vice President for Advancement Jon Stuckey offered the following words of affirmation for Kelly and me at the Board of Trustees Spring Dinner on May 1 regarding the Phipps Family Scholarship that we started a few years ago. We are extremely grateful for all those who have generously supported this scholarship in a shared commitment to help keep a Messiah education affordable and accessible to students in the years ahead:

“To recognize over two decades of faithful service, the Messiah University Board of Trustees joined together to donate $175,000 to the Phipps Family Scholarship Endowment – and thanks to the matching endowment challenge a total of $350,000 is being added to your scholarship in your honor. To bring this into perspective, when this $350K is added to the current value of your endowment, as well as other recent tribute gifts, it will bring the new total value of the Phipps Family Scholarship Endowment to well over $500K, which will provide $25K annually in scholarships for students with financial need – which will grow even larger in the years to come. This is your lasting legacy – making a high-quality Messiah education more affordable and within reach to countless future students. Well done good and faithful servant leaders!”

Facilities update

• Construction for the Lenhart Plaza, the second-phase project of the Warmer Welcome campaign that provides a gathering place for families and fans, is scheduled for this summer with completion by fall. The Starry Field parking lot is currently closed (anticipated through Aug. 20) while it is renovated with the storm water management systems needed to meet the requirements from the addition of Sawyer Pavilion.

• The second phase of Naugle residence renovations will begin after students move out in May. This phase includes replacement of HVAC building systems and renovations to restrooms and public spaces. We are grateful that we have been able to successfully reallocate the $1.25 million RACP grant, originally secured by Rider Musser for commercial construction which has been paused for the near future.

• Campus Entrance plans have been delayed because Upper Allen Township denied the university’s requested signage permit. We are now in the process of requesting a zoning variance which will enable us to resubmit our signage request to get the project moving forward as soon as possible.

Weathering external challenges

Many colleagues have asked about how we are responding to the “Dear Colleague” letters and other potential threats to our mission and identity. Quite simply, we remain focused and committed to our core values and the work of reconciliation which is inherent to our mission. Our nation needs Messiah graduates who are prepared to be servant-leaders and reconcilers in church and society.

Good news about Messiah

Here are some of the recent achievements and good news stories of members of the Messiah community. For more details visit messiah.edu/news and Messiah’s official Facebook page (the source sites for many of the below news items).

• Messiah University had three students finish in the top 10 for the CFA Society of Philadelphia and Financial Planning Association of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia’s 11th annual Collegiate Financial Plan Competition. Congratulations to our winners, Alyssa Meier, Juliette Safer and Jessica Chan, and to Messiah University who has now won four out of the past five years!

• Congratulations to our Department of Business students who took first place at the Microsoft Excel Regional College Challenge! Luke Peyton, Drew Weaver, Dylan Yoder and Marcos Garcia, accompanied by Associate Professor of Finance Dwayne Safer, traveled to University of Massachusetts to compete against more than 150 undergraduate and graduate students from colleges across New England. The team now advances to the Microsoft Excel Collegiate Championship in Las Vegas this December.

• Congratulations to Marcelle Giovannetti, vice provost for student success and engagement, was selected to serve as the graduate commencement speaker for the Class of 2025 at her alma mater, Shippensburg University on May 9. An alumna of Ship, she earned both a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision.

• Over 10 years ago, Professor of Marketing David Hagenbuch began exploring ‘mindful marketing’ in an article on business ethics. After writing over 320 articles on the topic, that ongoing work has culminated in Hagenbuch’s newly published book, “Mindful Marketing: Business Ethics that Stick,” released by Kendall Hunt. Congratulations on this newest publication!

• WGAL News recently covered the story of Paula Johnson, assistant professor of physical therapy, who carries on her father’s legacy of advocacy and empowerment. Read how his role in the 1963 March on Washington continues to inspire generations.

Messiah Athletics highlights

Below are highlights of recent success and accomplishments of Messiah student athletes and the Division of Athletics. For more details, and to view schedules to come out to cheer on the Falcons at future athletic events, visit www.gomessiah.com.

• Messiah Baseball won the NCAA tournament Regional Championship over this past weekend to make their first trip to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals in program history! The Falcons played the minimum number of games over the weekend, winning all three games to earn the Regional Championship. The Falcons will head to Salisbury University this weekend for the Super Regionals and will need to win two games of three to advance to the DIII College World Series! Congratulations to these incredible student-athletes and to Head Coach Phill Shallenberger who was named the Commonwealth Coach of the Year after leading the Falcons to a 31-14 record with an 18-3 record in conference play.

• Softball made it to the NCAA Tournament Regional Championship over this past weekend. After falling in the first game against No. 22 Swarthmore, the Falcons rattled off two wins on Friday to advance to the Championship game. The Falcons fell to No. 3 Virginia Wesleyan in the first Championship game 12-4, ending their great season with a 35-13 overall record.

• Messiah Men’s Track and Field finished fifth in the MAC Championships of 15 teams.

• Messiah Women’s Track and Field finished sixth in the MAC Championships of 15 teams.

• Messiah Women’s Lacrosse finished the season with a 14-6 overall record and a 6-1 record in conference play. The Falcons earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and made it to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 5 Franklin and Marshall in a hard- fought game.

• Messiah Men’s Lacrosse fell short of the MAC Commonwealth playoffs via a tiebreaker and finished the season with a 3-4 record in conference play.

• Messiah Men’s Tennis earned the top-seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament with a 6-0 record in conference play. The Falcons fell to York in the MAC Championship match, 4-2.

• Messiah Women’s Tennis earned the second-seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament after finishing conference play with a 4-1 record. The Falcons fell to the top-seeded Lions of Albright College in the Conference Championship game.

In closing

Thank you for your selfless service to our students. Kelly and I will be forever grateful for the privilege of fulfilling Messiah’s institutional mission alongside each one of you. We are grateful for the many kind cards and comments you have shared with us. As the author of Numbers wrote:

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Warmest regards, Kim

Kim S. Phipps, president